As a young girl, Elena T. Bird saw a production of “La Traviata” by Anchorage Opera in her home state of Alaska, and her life was changed.

“It was one of the first operas I had ever seen live, and it made me fall in love with opera,” said Bird. “It had so much emotion.”

Bird became a classically trained singer who teaches voice in Morristown, where she lived for three years before recently moving to Bernardsville. She has sung several roles, including the lead in a new American opera called “The Telephone.”

Now Bird is preparing to sing in a production of “La Traviata,” and her hope is that New Jersey audiences will experience the same emotions that she felt the first time she saw Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic opera.

“La Traviata” is being staged by the New Jersey Festival Orchestra Saturday at the Presbyterian Church of Westfield and Sunday at the Concert Hall at Drew University in Madison.

The production, staged in modern dress and presented with supertitles, is overseen by NJFO artistic director and conductor David Wroe and stage director Maria Todaro.

“La Traviata” centers on the doomed romance between Violetta, a courtesan in 19th-century Paris, and Alfredo, a naïve young man from the provinces.

(The story is based on “La Dame aux Camelias,” the novel and play by Alexandre Dumas that was also the basis for the classic film “Camille.”)

Bird is singing the role of Annina. “Traditionally, Annina is Violetta’s maid,” Bird said. “In our version, she’s more like a personal assistant.”

The cast features two singers who have appeared at the Metropolitan Opera: Jessica Sandidge as Violetta and Louis Otey at Giorgio, Alfredo’s judgmental father.

The role of Alfredo is being sung by Cody Austin, who most recently performed with the NJSO at the orchestra’s holiday concert in December.

“You have a regional group that is able to work with many great performers from this area,” Bird said. “That’s wonderful. It means a lot to me to be part of this.”

“La Traviata” continues the string of opera productions staged by NJFO, according to David Wroe. The Westfield-based orchestra has, in recent years, presented such works as “La Boheme,” “Aida” and “Carmen.”

“We’re still committed to doing wonderful symphonic work,” said Wroe. “But we have also stepped up to save opera in New Jersey. We plan to continue to do one opera production a year, and possibly more.”

Wroe noted that “La Traviata” has a significant place in opera history. “It was the first ‘grown-up’ opera about contemporary life,” he said. “Verdi and other composers had previously done operas set in the past or based on classic literature.”

For that reason, Wroe wanted to bring the story to the present. “We want to give the impression of the story happening in 2017,” he said. “Verdi was writing about titled people. We are showing Violetta and her friends as upper-middle-class people.”

The modern costumes and minimal sets are also meant to draw the audience into the story, Wroe said. “We want this story to be more intimate and more direct,” he said. “The focus is on the story of lust, love, redemption, and death.”

The professionalism of the artists has come into play during this final week before the performances. In all, the performers have had only four days of rehearsal together.

“It’s a short preparation time,” said Wroe. “But look at the extraordinary talent we’ve assembled. This music is in their blood.”

Bird said that it is not unusual to have only a few rehearsals, considering that the performers are coming from different places. “It’s quick, but I’m confident that it will all come together,” she said.

In the end, Bird thinks that “La Traviata” will move audiences. “If someone has never been to the opera, this is a great introduction,” she said. “It has a tender love story and beautiful music. I hope it makes people fall in love with the art form, as I did.”